--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I swore never to use the emoticon ever……" description: "\"“I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day, offhandedly and without much thought, I used my first :) and, shortly thereafter, in spite of m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/joshua-ferris-4070_swore_i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-u_409212.png" --- # I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day… ![“I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day, offhandedly and without much thought, I used my first :) and, shortly thereafter, in spite of my initial resistance, :) became a regular staple of my daily correspondence” quote by Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/joshua-ferris-4070_swore_i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-u_409212.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/joshua-ferris-4070_swore_i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-u_409212.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/joshua-ferris-4070_swore_i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-u_409212.png) > ““I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day, offhandedly and without much thought, I used my first :) and, shortly thereafter, in spite of my initial resistance, :) became a regular staple of my daily correspondence”” [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reluctantly adopts emoticons, showing how habits can form despite initial resistance. **In simple terms:** Even if you resist, you may start using something. Key Takeaway Accept that habits can develop unexpectedly. Themes habit formation technology communication Mood reflective amused Type anecdotal personal When to use this quote - email writing - texting - online chats - social media Key Concepts psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - Do you notice other habits forming without intent? - How can you shape new habits deliberately? A Different Perspective Habit adoption may be unconscious and hard to control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Sad face emoticon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mclean/sad-face-emoticon/) [Jay McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mclean/) > [ “\["Emoticon" is\] one of the worst words ever--it deserves to die horribly in a head-on crash with infotainment .” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-nunberg/emoticon-is-one-of-the-worst-words-ever-it-deserves-to-die-horribly/) Geoff Nunberg > [“Exactly, he confirmed, adding a to go along with it—a telepathic emoticon that made me smile too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/exactly-he-confirmed-adding-a-to-go-along-with-it-a-telepathic/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [People are totally overusing LOL and a wink - and I'm very guilty of using the wink - that's probably my favourite emoticon to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-pope/people-are-totally-overusing-lol-and-a-wink-and-i-m-very-guilty-of/) [Carly Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-pope/) > [“That's why they came up with the emoticon, too—the emoticon being the greatest (or most desperate, depending how you look at it) advance in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/that-s-why-they-came-up-with-the-emoticon-too-the-emoticon-being-the/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [If you text someone, and you just get an emoticon back, it's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riki-lindhome/if-you-text-someone-and-you-just-get-an-emoticon-back-it-s-over/) [Riki Lindhome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riki-lindhome/) > [I'm always alone. 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Its background is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/i-seriously-doubt-that-the-smile-is-our-species-s-happy-face-as-is/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) ## More by Joshua Ferris > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [If someone were plucked from the group and given those responsibilities, they might find themselves growing more aloof, just by virtue of that promotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/if-someone-were-plucked-from-the-group-and-given-those/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“I was already at one remove before the Internet came along. I need another remove? 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They might do crappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-think-one-of-the-ways-you-avoid-being-angry-is-to-avoid-being-angry/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“Without monstrous distortions, I was slowly learning, without lies and hypocrisy, one cannot have the idealized American life I so longed for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/without-monstrous-distortions-i-was-slowly-learning-without-lies-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“We hated not knowing something. We hated not knowing who was going to walk Spanish down the hall. How would our bills get paid?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-hated-not-knowing-something-we-hated-not-knowing-who-was-going-to/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) [Explore all 114 Joshua Ferris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## More Swore quotes > [“Saints!" I swore. 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Would your dark nails of faith be pushed through my veins again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cradle-of-filthcradle-of-filth/so-i-swore-to-thy-razor-that-never-enchained-would-your-dark-nails-of/) Cradle Of FilthCradle Of Filth > [“Failure Because God put His adamantine fate Between my sullen heart and its desire, I swore that I would burst the Iron Gate, Rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/failure-because-god-put-his-adamantine-fate-between-my-sullen-heart/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [“Here’s a lesson for you, lad.” Melitta leaned forward and poked him sharply in the ribs with one gnarled finger. “Don’t drink heavily at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-m-friesner/here-s-a-lesson-for-you-lad-melitta-leaned-forward-and-poked-him/) [Esther M. Friesner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-m-friesner/) > [I wanted so much more far beyond what I could see. 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